Lewis Straw

LEWIS STRAW, Deceased.

Many of the largest farms in the state were made wholly by the owners thereof, not a cent having been received from the parents of such owners. It is also true that many of the largest farms were almost wholly inherited from parents. It would seem at first "lance that the latter holders were the ones to be congratulated, -but this is not always the case, because very often they did not receive in youth the proper habits of thrift and industry that would enable them to save and manage their large inheritance. On the contrary it may lie set down as an unqualified truth that the man who by hard knocks made all his property, beginning as a poor boy, learned at the same time how to take care of it. To know how to save money, as well as to know how to make it, is of die greatest importance in the rearing of a boy. Such training was received by the subject of this notice. He inherited some of his great landed property, but in his youth was given the best of instruction in the practical problems of the farm and accordingly was one of the best farm managers and financiers in the whole county. It is interesting to notice, step by step, how he secured his great success in the acquirement of land and stock. He was born in Waterbury, Vt., on the 16th of May, 1817, and is the son of David and Mary (Cady) Straw, the former being a native of Maine and the latter of Connecticut and both being of Welsh descent. While yet a boy he came to Ohio with friends, but in 1831 returned to the Green Mountain state. His parents immediately left that state and came to Ohio, learning that the chances here were better than in the east. The father located on section 31, Pitt township, and began to clear the land and cultivate the soil. The father lived to be a very old man, dying at last full of years and with the highest respect of the community in which he moved. He was a man of exceptional habits and passed an exemplary life. His son, Lewis, the subject of this memoir, was one of nine children born to David Straw. He grew up on his father’s farm, receiving an excellent training in business management and acquiring the rudiments of an education at the early subscription schools. Pie was at an early date given an opportunity to show his skill in stock dealing and trading, and was soon: able to gain nearly all transactions of this character. In after years this valuable experience served him in good stead and enabled him to become one of the most skillful stock dealers in this portion of the county. He likewise became very adept in buying and selling land — improved farms or timber land. He remained at home until he was twenty-one years old. when he began serving an apprenticeship at die cabinetmaker's and painter’s trades. After his apprenticeship he worked at his trade until his marriage, in 1847, to Miss Caroline Moody. This lady bore him one child. Dudley, and died shortly afterward. Dudley died at twenty-five. In 1851 Mr. Straw those for his second wife Miss Rebecca Miller, who presented him with eight children, as follows: Caroline, who owns the old homestead of one hundred and seventy-six acres: Eugene, who is engaged in farming and stock raising; Leander, who resides in Little Sandusky and is engaged in buying stock; Edith, the wife of Robert Carey, of Upper Sandusky; Cannie, deceased; Cathy eine; Lemora and Lenora, twins, both deceased. After our subject’s marriage lie moved to w hat is now known as the an! farm and remained there until 1860, when he came to the farm where he passed away.

I When his father died Lewis had purchased j considerable property, which he added to very materially during his ]i L time. At the time of subject’s death, lie owned a total of one thousand acres in Pitt, Marseilles and Mifflin townships, all constitutingone of the largest as well as one of the best farms in the entire state. Lewis was a most successful farmer and stock raiser, as well as a good financier. He was of an energetic nature and was noted for his great industry. He amassed a great property, and left a name above reproach. He was mainly self-educated, but possessed unusual powers of discrimination in all the operations that fall to the lot of a farmer. The soundness oh his judgment was fully recognized by his neighbors, who those him for township trustee, in which position he served for twenty years, highly to his credit. In politics he was a Republican, tie passed away in November, 1891, and lies buried at Oak Hill. His wife preceded him to the grave, dying April 10. 1883. She was a lady of uncommon attributes of mind and heart, and left many close friends to mourn her departure.

As printed in Biographical memoirs of Wyandot County, Ohio : to which is appended a comprehensive compendium of national biography ... embellished with portraits of many national characters and well known residents (1902). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.